Braking device for electric cars and the like



Jaii.17,1928. R R 1,656,298-

' 0.. P. SMITH BRAKING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CARS AND THE LIKE Filed May .14. 1926 I i115 o F firms/r702 Patented Jan. 17, 192 8.

UNITED ,srariis PATENT OFFICE."

owner 1. SMITH, oF MIA I, FLORIDA; HANNAH M.'SMITH ADMINISTRATRIX or SAID OWEN 1?. SMITH, DECEASED. T

BRAKING DEVICE non ELECTRIC CARS AND THE LIKE.

Application filedlfliay 14, 1926. Serial No. 109,042

My invention relates to means for stopping electric and other carswhich are operated at high speed, where it is desirous to bring them to a stop within a reasonable distance .to avoid damage by collision or other cause.

One of the objects of my invention, is-to age to the said car, the track, or the mechanism employed to stop said car. H

WVith the above and other objects in, view which will more particularly appear in the following specifications, I have shown in the accompanymg lllustrations, one embodiment of my said invention, as applled to 1 electric cars employed on dog racing tracks,

consisting of the parts and construction as shown in said illustrations, in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the various views, and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my said brak ing device, showingthe wheels and rail in position when the braking means is applied. (The remaining parts of the car are not shown.)

Fig. 2 is an elevation taken ,from the right in Fig. 1, showing the same parts in,

braking operation.

Fig. 3 is an end view similar to Fig. 2, but with braking means out of engagement with the car wheels as shown.

The braking mechanism which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is the form which I have employed. to brake the electric cars on dog racing tracks. These tracks are small, usually not morethan one quarter of a mile in circuitn'ierenoe and the electric car must be operated at a very high rateott speed to keep ahead of the dogs. When the race is ended, it is necessary to switch the car upon a siding, out of sight of the dogs, and bring it to a stop within a reasonable distance. i

The form of brake which I have provided to accomplish this is composed of a wooden supporting frame, 1, 1', 1, 1, built adjacent the track as shown. While I have built this frame otgt X; 4. wood timbers, it is apparent that 1t may be built of much heavier timbers for heavier work, or may be made of metal, it preferred,'and may be of any construction which will afford support to the. parts hereinafter described. To the upper ends of the short up-right posts 2, 2, Ihave attached the timbers 3, 3, by means of the hinges 4,, 4. To the upright timbers 3, 3I have attached the horizontal timber 5, by means of suitable bolts as 6, 6. To this horizontal timber 5 I have loosely attached a second horizontal timber, as 7. To adaptthe timber? to performfthe operations hereinafter.described, I haveloosely mounted said timber 7 to the timber 5 by means of bolts, as 8, 8. The heads of these bolts are countersunk in the timber 7 as shown, and are passed through holes in the timber 5, which permit a loose fit, with nuts on the upperends of the bolts, as shown. Superimposed between the said timbers 5 and 7 I have provided the compression springs 9, .9, whichare placed about the respective bolts 8, 8, and are thus heldin operating position against accidental displacement. The objects of the construction above described, are to hold the timber 7 in operating position, with a certain amount of yielding spring tensionas .i'orce is applied frombelow. This tension may be increased or decreased by various sizes of springs, or by turning the nuts on the ends of the bolts 8, 8, or'by placing washers at suitable positions against said springs, thus providing a ready and efficient means for varying the spring tension to suit the braking force required for the particular work to be done. On the under side of timber 7 and in position to contact with the car of brake lining material to receive the wear of the; wheels as 10. For convenience 1n operation I have provided. the handle 11, which may be operated hand to set the .wheels, I have usually provided some form to, any, suitable place for the operator to manipulate the same.

In the drawings I have shown one rail of the track, aslS, withtwo ear wheels, as 19 and 20 mounted upon said rail, with the upper sides of the car wheels in contact with the braking timber T, as shown in Figs. I audi i when it is desired to set the hralre to stop the caig the parts hand? are moved to the lclft lron'ithe position shown in Fig, 3, and the locking hrace lilis placed securely in position to prevent said member 5 from moving baelnvard. In this position, shown the loweriedge otthe tin'iber T shoulc be in line for contact with upper sides of wheels 19 and 20, asshown in Fig. 2. Then the ear comes inoirthe siding, the lower side ottlie timber 7 contacts with the upper edges of the car wheels 19 and 20, with'a spring tension, and the car is safely and surelybrought to astop, without damage to the ear, the rails, orthe braking mechanism. V

"hile I have shown my braking mechanis nasapplied to the wheelsfonone side of the car,it wil l.be apparent, that may hcequally-irell applied to both sides, when desired, an'd give double the braking elliciency.

The brake which Ihave shown is intended to beoperated by hand hutit is apparent thatsuitahle springs maybe attached to the timber, 5 and to facilitate its'release whenever it isv desiredto the position shown in Fig. ,3. In addition,aspring attached to thelockingbrace 12nvould tendv to liol d it more securely in position (in its locking position ,shown in Fig, 2.

Having thus described my invention,what

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is the .tollowingz- 1. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame disposed adjacent the track for wheeled cars, a braking member movemei'it: of the car, and means for locking the braking niemliierin operative position.-

2. In a device of the class described, a suppttu'ting' :lrame disposed adjacent the track for wheeled cars, and a-spri-ng actuated braking member hingedly mounted-on a horizontal pivot on the supporting frame. for lateral swinging movement toward and away from a substantially vertical positionat the side of-the track and arranged for contact with the top of the wheels onthe side. of the car passing on the adjacent rail ofthe track to brake the ear, means for-locking the brakingmember in operative position, and means whereby to release the locking means to permit swing of the locking member to inoperative posit-ion.

In "a braking mechanism for cars and the like, a front si'lpporting frame located at one side ofa track, a swinging trame hinged at the bottom to the supporting 'lraiuc andn'iovahle to and from a vertical position,-

a spring actuated bar carried by th'eswinging frame and arranged to engage thewhcels ofa car at the tops of th'esaid'Wheels, and a transversely disposedlocking bar pivoted at the outer end to the supporting frame and having its inner, end'arranged to engage the hinged frame and lock the same against outward movement. V

In testimonywhereof, I have duly signed the foregoing specification.

OWEN P. SMI 

